Chat Pile – Cool World
Many times, overwhelmed by the procrastination, some people literally watch the world burn. Curabitur Pile seems to understand this. The Cold War shows the anger we should all feel towards those whose greed comes at the expense of human life. The class is present. Rob., 28, Newcastle
Bashy – poor expensive
It’s hard to describe the emotional impact this album had, or the intellectual reach, but I’ll try. It comes with The London Borough of Brent, a truly stunning statement piece, 15 years since the last album. Who would have thought that a psychogeographical deep dive (“anywhere from Kilburn to Edgware, anywhere from Kensal Green to Wembley, anywhere from Stonebridge to Camden”) would be at odds with the realism of the fiscal dracula (“Gotta tax, tax, debt, just gotta see a million it’s the two of us to do”) could be so youthful? From his grandmother in Britain, to extracting how structural racism robs black children of their innocence and childhood in How Black Men Lose Their Laughter, Bashy draws the audience in over 38 minutes, making his points with his skill and moral clarity.
Ben Diamond
Magdalena Bay – Imaginal World
One of the best pop albums I’ve heard. Immaculate production and incredible songwriting. The album flows perfectly and hits powerful emotional highs throughout. You can hear prog rock influences as well as Abba, Radiohead and Grimes. My personal wind is an Angel in a Satellite. It has a beautiful piano melody and beautiful vocals from Mica [Tenenbaum].
Jamie Colclough, 25, Sunderland
Jack White – No Name
I’ve been on maternity leave for most of 2024 and I’ve done a lot of walking. This album and on occasion coffee prevented me from sleeping. Every song feels like a banger: pounding drums, endless hooks and lyrical dexterity that truly delights. Jack White at his best and all I want for Christmas this year is announcing a 2025 European tour (preferably a few nights in Amsterdam’s iconic Paradise!) Amanda Gowland, 43, Amsterdam
Waxahatchee – blood of the tiger
the expansive one; it’s familiar; it is fast; it is tough; it’s got it all The songs all sound the same, but they don’t make any sense. I had to repeat what came out, and more often than not to see the Leeds Band live at the Irish Center on a warm July evening. It was one of those gigs where it felt like everyone I’ve ever had was there, and for good reason. If you haven’t heard it, start with Right Back to It (featuring MJ Lenderman), it’s perfect. Julia, 28, Leeds
Charli xcx – Brat
Brat is my favorite album of 2024. As someone who confirmed that Charli was 19 years old, it was a breath of fresh air to finally get an album where she unapologetically was. The album’s response is incredible proof that Brat transcended music to become the cultural moment of the year. But at the end of the day, it’s the first love letter from Charli to the fans who have struggled with her over the years so she can reach the level of superstardom we’ve always wanted her to reach. from abroad, XXI
Ash – Wilson
I loved Wilson by Ashe this year. It’s indie pop with a little country at its best: beautiful lyrics and haunting sounds, all wrapped up in heavenly vocals. The story is about facing no choice but to step back when you realize you’ve lost yourself until you step back and find your way back. I felt like I was right with her when she was carving names on the cherry trees, not being able to leave the house and “calling in sick for the rest of this year,” leaving California and accepting herself. Mathilde, Edinburgh
Annie Hamilton – Stop and smell the lightning
It’s a rollercoaster of clapping songs, standout beats for stage and stage productions, interspersed with quieter, more introspective numbers. Annie has been making fantastic music and touring for five years now. Each time he worked on this album with new sounds and exploring new genres, it was interesting to see how the album would sound. It pulls down the combination of electronic elements and the dirty indicia of rock songs, ballads, etc. With lyrics touching on relationships, pain, self-discovery and joy, it’s a well-written, up and down, journey, life and always reflective. We live in a changed world. Ben Crewe, 28. Lille, France
Jamie xx – In Waves
A work of sheer genius. I think he was trying to get a dance routine and he did it well. Daffodil reminds me of a summer day in 1976; The Isley bros vibes are just right. From the euphoric openness of classical examples, to the poetic charm of all children; so per- have Avalanches there. But the track is my life, and this album gives me life! Sue Cattanach, 64, Brighton
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Halsey – The Great Impersonator
It’s nice that the album is sonically different, and even though I often prefer heavier music, I’ve always been captivated by Halsey’s lyricism. He explores life and death in a moving way, but not so much that it is immediately heard as terrible. Although my favorite songs on the album are tracks of goods to a more uplifting nature. Eloise, 24, Norfolk
Tyler, the Creator – Chromakopia
A perfect mix of pop, rap and hip-hop. This album is full of introspection and fear. As such, Tyler thinks about never getting to meet his father and how it affects him. Another track that demonstrates pure vocal prowess is Delicia, I. From the first time I heard it, I knew I was being held, and Noid’s song is filled with fears for his safety and the safety of his friends. Oliver, of Ireland
King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard – flight b741
In a way, it sounds like he grew up listening to 70s music with his dad. It’s such a beautiful and wicked kind of record with its music and lyrics. Since things have been so weird in the world lately, I’ve been listening to this album even more than usual. I feel that the flight b741 somehow embraces all anxiety about the state of affairs and provides an escape from it. Isabella, 19, Texas, US
James – Yummy
Euphoric and anthemic, it captures the joy and wonder of life while hitting on topical issues like our reliance on technology, the climate crisis, and conspiracy theories. WELL DESERVED TO BE THE FIRST NO 1 ALBUM AFTER 40 YEARS.
Sam Armitage, Wales
Sources DC – Romance
I kept my expectations low for Fontani’s fourth album (how could they improve on 2022’s Skinty Fia?) and realized I was a fool before the album even dropped. The lead single, Starburster, became a staple in the running of the game before that first, disturbing gasp every minute and a half in. Fontaines chaste, sad, angry, and funny in Romance. The opening track, for which the album is named, is sad and heavy and invites the idea of romance and makes it menacing – how true! We’re comparing a song about a love affair with a performance at Carnegie Hall, and both a tender and slower track inspired by James Joyce’s Ulysses. This is the perfect album for a long walk on a rainy day. The closer, Favourite, is aptly named: a dreamy rock song that can make you both happy and sad at the same time – my favorite genre. Grainne Downey, Vancouver, Canada